Chocolate Pistachio Éclairs
These chocolate pistachio éclairs start with crisp pâte à choux filled with vanilla bean pastry cream and topped with a rich chocolate glaze and salted pistachios for the perfect sweet and salty treat.
Hello folks! I hope you had a great Easter weekend. Mine was low-key and yet wonderful with kitchen challenges. I decided this was the weekend to take on Éclairs! I love french pastries very much and always rush to get them at bakeries but I ‘ve never tried them at home. But when Lindsay over at Love and Olive Oil announced that April’s Kitchen Challenge was éclairs, I was all excited to finally get this off my baking bucket list.
If you remember, macarons were once on that same bucket list but thanks to this same Kitchen Challenge series, I got that crossed off my list exactly a year ago!! I made my first batch of macarons last year and have since been in love with these cookies. But you all know that by now. It’s with the same enthusiasm and knowledge that it will be journey that I delved into éclairs this weekend.
I chose a recipe from America’s Test Kitchen that was very similar to one of Dorie Greenspan’s that I’ve seen online. The step-by-step pictures helped a lot. Sign up for test kitchen recipes if you are not a member! The first step to making eclairs is making the shells or pâte à choux which is the base to many pastries including profiteroles, cream puffs and eclairs. The pâte à choux are supposed to be moist in the center (not wet) and crisp on the surface. And that’s exactly how these turned out! The pastries are filled with a rich vanilla bean pastry cream that is quite straightforward to make.
With everything, you want to start out focusing on mastering the basic technique but knowing that the flavor possibilities are endless here, I couldn’t wait to deviate from the classic just a little bit. The salty crunch from the pistachios in these eclairs give them a nice sweet and salty balance that complements the chocolate glaze. I can’t wait to experiment with more flavors as I try to perfect making pâte à choux. The hubby said “Dude, this actually tastes like eclairs. Wow”. Well, thanks for the vote of confidence dear. But at least I succeeded on the first attempt on the taste. Next stop, looks 🙂
Chocolate Pistachio Éclairs
These chocolate pistachio éclairs start with crisp pâte à choux filled with vanilla bean pastry cream and topped with a rich chocolate glaze and salted pistachios for the perfect sweet and salty treat.
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg white
- 6 tablespoons water
- 5 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1½ teaspoons granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups half-and-half
- ½ cup sugar, divided
- ½ vanilla bean
- pinch of salt
- 5 large egg yolks
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 3 tablespoons half-and-half
- 2 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1 cup confectioner's sugar
- ¼ cup shelled pistachios, chopped
Instructions
- Place an oven rack to the middle of the oven. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a baking sheet with baking spray and line with parchment. Prepare a pastry bag, fitted with a ½ - inch plain tip.
- In a small bowl, beat the eggs and egg white together. In a small saucepan set over medium heat bring the water, butter, milk, sugar and salt to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the flour until combined. Return the saucepan to low heat and cook the mixture until it looks like shiny wet-sand stirring constantly. About 3 minutes.
- Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a food processor. With the processor running, pour the egg mixture through the feed tube gradually until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the bowl and process for another 30 seconds until a thick smooth paste forms.
- Transfer warm pâte à choux paste to prepared pastry bag. Pipe into eight 5 x 1-inch logs, separated 1 inch apart. To smooth out, wet a finger and shape the logs or smooth the surface.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Without opening the door, reduce temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking for additional 8-10 minutes until firm and golden brown. Turn off the oven and prop the door open with a wooden spoon and continue to bake for about 30 minutes, until the center is just moist and the surface is crisp. Transfer to cooling racks and cool completely.
- In a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat bring the half-and-half, 6 tablespoons sugar, seeds from vanilla bean, vanilla bean and salt to boil. Stir occasionally.
- In the meantime, whisk together the egg yolks, cornstarch and remaining sugar together in a small bowl until smooth.
- Gradually whisk one cup of the simmering hot half-and-half mixture into the egg yolk mixture to temper the eggs. Slowly whisk the egg mixture back into the simmering half-and-half mixture. Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking whisking constantly until the pastry cream is thickened, about 30 seconds.
- Remove from heat and discard vanilla bean. Transfer to a bowl and press plastic wrap directly to surface to prevent a film from forming on the top. Chill pastry cream until set, about 3 hours.
- Microwave half-and-half and chocolate together in a microwave safe bowl, whisking occasionally until chocolate starts to melt about 30-45 seconds. Whisk in confectioner's sugar until smooth.
- Using a sharp knife, cut along one side of the pastries to open up the shells. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a ¼ -inch plain tip with pastry cream and pipe the pastry cream into the shells. Chill pastries for about 30 minutes for glazing.
- Spoon warm glaze evenly over the tops of the eclairs. Be sure to cover the holes. Sprinkle chopped pistachios. Let glaze set for about 20 minutes before serving.
- Filled eclairs can rest at room temperature up to 4 hours before serving. Store refrigerated.
Your eclairs look perfect!! I am making some this week as well. I was going to use the Thomas Keller recipe, but now I’m thinking maybe ATK is the way to go!
His book has been on my Amazon wishlist for way too long so I had to improvise lol!
Beautiful eclairs! Love the pistachios 🙂
Thanks Chloe 🙂
These eclairs look absolutely fantastic! I think I’m in love!!
Thanks girl 🙂
Wow that is a great first attempt at eclairs..they look perfect!
Thanks Meghan!
Um, I would totally take these over the bakery versions… they look like perfection!
Thanks Steph 🙂
I love making eclairs because there are so many different combinations of flavors to try! The chocolate and pistachio is a winning combination!
The combinations have me excited too!!
Got to love those hubbys….haha! I made eclairs once…with A LOT of help, but might just have to tackle them on my own because these look darn good! And salty pistachios, I am all over that!
Aieee those hubbys are a pain sometimes lol!
You are one of those bakers who always makes those desserts that make my jaw drop! I have never had the courage to try eclairs, but I know I can trust your recipes. The pistachio is a fantastic addition! Cannot wait to try; pinned!
Thanks Mary Frances!! You should give them a try…you are so talented I know they will be easy for you.
Seriously again another amazing dessert! I love the addition of the pistachio’s to the eclairs! The perfect salty combo with the chocolate! YUM!
These look fantastic Zainab! Totally amazing for your first time making them – they look so pro and have me totally drooling! I haven’t tried making eclairs yet but would definitely try yours if I did – I love that you added pistachios too – pinning 🙂
Yeah, um, there’s no way I could make these. I’m the farthest thing from delicate when it comes to baking. (Seriously, I’m notorious for tasting the middle of my cakes before frosting and just patching the empty space with icing. LOL)
But really, props to you Zainab! These look absolutely wonderful!
Ah, eclairs for the win!! These are absolutely gorgeous and you totally knocked them out of the park. Plus, pistachios? Enough said 🙂
I LOVE eclairs, and this combination looks delicious, Zainab! Good job on these — one less thing to conquer! 🙂
These look fabulous. Just like something you would buy at a fancy bakery. Great job!!
These look delicious!!
What a delicious combination!
LOVELOVELOVE THESE ECLAIRS! They’re so beautiful and i adore that you used a vanilla bean pastry cream-just the little extra “mmmph”!
These look amazing Zainab! The kitchen challenge sounds so fun!
You DOMINATED these lady! Love the pistachio/chocolate combo that you chose.
Happy Easter, Zainab! I had a four day weekend and it was glorious. My husband actually took the weekend off (he’s a realtor so he usually works at night and weekends when I’m off) and we lazed around. Fabulous. Almost as fabulous as your gorgeous eclairs. This is perfection! I tried eclairs for the first time and they were a bit of an epic fail. I can’t wait to try your recipe and see how I do. The pistachios not only look incredible on top of the chocolate but I can almost taste how amazing the combination is.
These look and sound amazing! Great job on your first attempt!
My gosh, these eclairs look stunning! I can only imagine how delicious the chocolate glaze tastes paired with the pistachios, but then to bite into the creamy vanilla bean center? Heavenly. I haven’t ventured into homemade eclairs, but I’m so pinning these (for when I work up the courage!)
I am pinning this right now.
These eclairs looks so good.. so so good! Cream is just fantastic!
Haha, your husband’s response of “actually tastes like eclairs” is too funny! These look lovely, my friend. So glad they turned out well for you. They’re absolutely gorgeous and I can imagine that the sprinkling of pistachios must have made these even better!
Oh my gosh, these are so dangerous! And would not even last a minute in front of my face!!
Hi Zainab,
What a wonderful eclairs, I like the pistachios on the the tops!
It is a very good idea.
Chantal
Oh my gosh, Zainab! These eclairs look so perfect! Your husband’s reaction is hilarious. I have never made eclairs, but they’re definitely something on my baking bucket list. I feel like you’re more “professional” or something if you can nail eclairs and other classic pastries/desserts like that, haha. These look incredible! 🙂
She does it again!! Yet another incredible edible delicacy that makes my mouth water at my computer screen!!!
Oh my dear, they couldn’t be more perfect! The shells look so delicate and crisp and that filling looks so silky. I’m loving the glaze too and the pistachios on top are such a fun touch!
Oh my gosh Zainab! These look delicious ad love the flavor combo!
These look incredible! My husband will LOVE this recipe. Pinning to remember for later!
Kristy @ 3 Peppers Recipes – Cooking, Crafts & Color
Thanks Kristy!
Ohh eclairs have been on my list for months! I need to make them asap. Yours look incredible and they turned out lovely! And also, the flavor combo sounds pretty nice – I love pistachios and chocolate together oh yum!! xxxxx
Thanks Consuelo! I know you can make eclairs. Just give them a try
This looks amazing Zainab! I’ve always wanted to make eclairs and I have a bag full of pistachios that this would be perfect for.
Such beautiful eclairs! I love pastry cream so much that I could skip the dough (almost) and just eat the pastry cream with a spoon! I have been looking for something “showy” and special for an adult birthday desert tray. I think these are it! Thanks, Zainab!
Wendy oh my gosh I are this pastry cream out of the bowl for days!! I hope you try this for your dessert tray. You could also drizzle the chocolate for more beautiful look instead of just dunking the whole top like I did lol!
Wow! These seriously look amazing Zainab! Always love your photography and am a total eclair nut! My grandma use to make them homemade all the time, but really like that you added the saltiness of the pistachios and the green color just pops. Awesome job girl! Pinned!
These look absolutely amazing! I haven’t made eclairs in years. I’m stopping by from SITS & I’m a new follower. Happy Saturday!
oh my! these eclairs are to die for!
These look so elegant and inviting! I hope to make them soon!
What a great challenge to overcome!! And it looks like you mastered it – these look perfect! I love the flavors you used – chocolate and pistachio are soooo delicious – some of my favorites!
These eclairs look fantastic! I love that you used pistachios for that salty crunch on top. It’s always great to be able to cross something off of your list that you’ve been wanting to try. Great job, girl! Pinned!
You have taken 3 of my favorite things, chocolate, pistachios and eclairs and made them into one. I am in trouble. I am going to attempt to make these but even if they don’t look good I will happily eat them. Thank you for helping feed my obsession. Pinned!
Zainab these look great! Pistachios and dark chocolate are SO good together, lovely blog btw!
Thank you very much Sarah!
Oh my gosh, these are perfection!!! Choux pastry has been on my list of things to tackle for awhile, too. I can only hope mine turn out half as well as these. They’re gorgeous, Zainab!